


Tantalus

by sincity007



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, LOTS of violence, M/M, Small Amounts of Fluff, dreamwastaken - Freeform, georgenotfound - Freeform, lots of dream smp characters, sapnap - Freeform, sapnap is still the best
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:20:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29767137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sincity007/pseuds/sincity007
Summary: Dream had yet to take part in a Purge, never being one for violence. But this might be the year that he has to put down the pen and pick up the sword.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone knew the story of Tantalus – the man who tried to fool the gods and failed, miserably.

He was a greedy man, biting off more than he could chew by stealing the nectar of divine beings and attempting to distribute it between his people to give them a taste of immortality. He then made the decision to sacrifice his son, Pelops, and dismember his child to serve his remains to the Gods. When Zeus, the lord of the heavens, found out, he became sick with fury and banished Tantalus from Olympus immediately. He requested of Clotho, one of the three Fates, that Pelops be returned to his living state. The boy was revived, and the missing pieces of his flesh were replaced with ivory crafted by Hephaestus himself.

Tantalus lived a cursed life amongst his people, and he would live a cursed afterlife as well. When he died, he was taken by Hades, the lord of the Underworld, and taken to Tartarus, where he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with a single branch extending over his head. The trick was, everything Tantalus would reach for the fruit, it would move away til it was just out of reach, and when he would bend down for a drink of water, the water would sink deeper, receding so it was out of his reach. 

He would spend eternity here, desperately trying to get even the smallest of drops of water to pass between his lips, only for it to dance away from his grasp at the last moment. He had been too greedy whilst he was alive - and he would pay the price for that greed. 

Dream knew this feeling of greed all too well. 

The Purge - a week long event that took place once a year. Any and all crime was encouraged during this time period, and people took advantage of this fact.

Dream had yet to take part in a Purge, never being one for violence. But this might be the year that he has to put down the pen and pick up the sword. 

He had made enemies the past year - people he never wanted to get on the wrong side of. 

Dream had always been a greedy man, wanting more than could be given to him. And, just like Tantalus, this greed just might be his downfall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a short disclaimer:
> 
> I don't profit off of anything mentioned in this story - all rights to the Purge belong to Blumhouse Productions.

TW: mentions of death, violence, and blood. 

24 Hours Before the Purge

Dream was nervous.

The Purge was usually a quiet, calm event for him. He would stay inside on his couch, lock his doors and windows just in case, and just hunker down with a stack of movies for the week. His neighborhood was on the more classy side of New York, so it was usually safe for him to do so with peace of mind. This year was different.

This year he had enemies.

He paced the width of his office, loafers moving quietly across the grey carpet as he thought, chewing on his fingernail. His business had grown, his success (and, by proxy, money) skyrocketed, making him a very wealthy man over the past year. 

In the process, he had stepped on smaller corporations, smashing them to pieces as he climbed the staircase to success. He wasn’t safe this year.

Exhaling loudly, Dream crossed the room and pressed a button on his desk. “Natalie?” he said, rubbing his forehead as he called for his secretary. “I’m going to head home early. Stay safe this week, alright?”

Natalie’s voice crackled through the intercom as she answered, a sugary sweet tone lacing her words. “Sure thing!” she said. Her Southern accent always made Dream smile. “You stay safe too, sir!”

Natalie didn’t survive the week. She was found by her husband in her car, blood spilling from a bullet wound in her skull.

18 Hours Before the Purge

He knew he should be at home, getting ready for the next day, but instead he stood in the center of a coffee shop, laughing along with his friend Sapnap, who worked alongside him at Dream’s business - a coding company of sorts. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Sapnap said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his coffee and eyeing Dream closely. “You’ve been fine every year, I doubt it would be any different this year just because you’ve got a little money now.”

Dream didn’t look so sure.

A barista came over with their bill, offering Dream a small smile as he dropped the ticket on the table. “Have a wonderful day,” he said kindly. Dream smiled back smally and watched as he left, reaching for the bill. 

If he had known that the worker would end up dead in the same spot that Dream sat in that moment, maybe he would've tipped a little bit more.

Across town, Thomas ‘Tommy’ Simons was infuriated. 

The young entrepreneur swept pages of paperwork off his desk in a fit of anger, slamming the palms of his hands down on the mahogany wood. 

“Ruined!” he yelled angrily, clenching his fists. Behind him, his friend Toby ‘Tubbo’ Smith, Wilbur Soot, and an odd character that went by Technoblade, stood cautiously, wary of the blonde man's anger. 

“Tommy,” Tubbo tried to sound soothing, keeping his voice low and calm as he reached out to grab his friend by the shoulder in a comforting manner. “It’s okay, man. We can try again, and-”

“You don’t get it, Tubbo!” Tommy shouted, whirling around and staring his right-hand-man down heatedly. “This was our last chance to get out there, to get our project up and running. And that man - Dream - ruined it! There is no ‘try again’ for us. It’s over, don’t you get it?!” 

Wilbur shuffled forward, standing next to Tubbo and resting his hand on the shorter boy’s head. “Calm down, Simons,” he said sternly. “Don’t forget what tomorrow is. We have an entire week to plan our revenge.”

The statement took a moment to register in Tommy’s brain, but as soon as it did, an evil grin spread across his face. 

An entire week to get back at Dream, and make him pay for what he did.

12 Hours Before the Purge

Darryl Noveschosch was in the backyard, throwing knives in his hands as he peered at the target in front of him. A flick of the wrist and the sharp blades were flying through the air, sticking with a solid thunk in the wood. Darryl straightened, a satisfied look on his face. Behind him, his friend Zak clapped slowly, walking forward to see where the knives had landed on the target.

“Bullsye,” he announced proudly. “You never fail to amaze me, Bad.” 

Darryl beamed, the use of his nickname sending happy butterflies swarming through his stomach. “It’s best to be prepared for Purge week, Skeppy,” he reasoned, shooting the other’s nickname back at him in playful banter. “A lot of things have happened over the past year.”

Skeppy grinned and pulled Bad’s knives out of the target, stalking back over to him to place them in his hand. Pressing a kiss to the other’s cheek, he snickered. “More fun for us, then.”

8 Hours Before the Purge

Nerves made his heart pound in his throat, and he bounced his leg anxiously as he watched the television play the news. The newscaster looked deadly serious as she went over the rules for the Purge for what had to have been the sixtieth time that hour, her face set in a near scowl as she spoke.

“George, calm down. It’s fine.”

George looked over at his friends, Karl and Alex, who were sitting on the same couch draped all over each other. They were without their third lover tonight - Sapnap would be staying with one of his friends for the duration of the Purge. 

Their relationship never failed to confuse him, but he couldn’t deny the fact that they fit together extremely well.

“I haven’t lived here for very long, Karl,” he said, sharpening his look into a mild glare. “I’m still not used to these things. I’ve only gone through two. You’ve been through loads more.”

Karl shrugged, pressing his cheek against Alex’s and giving him a pathetic expression that George thinks was meant to resemble puppy eyes. “You have us to pwotect you,” he whined, jutting his lip out in a pout. Alex mirrored his expression with a quiet snort. 

George rolled his eyes. “I don’t need anyone to protect me,” he muttered, sinking further into the couch cushions and covering his face in embarrassment. “Especially not you two. You’re more likely to kill each other than anyone else.”

As if to prove his point, Alex shoved Karl off the couch, exploding into peals of laughter when his boyfriend smacked his head on the table. George wanted to cry. 

If something happened this week, there was no doubt that they were dead.

6 Hours Before the Purge

Dream watched the clock tick by in his bedroom, anticipating the moment it struck midnight. He had dressed himself in dark clothes, and filled a small backpack with the necessities - weapons, first aid kit, food, and water - and placed it at the foot of his bed in case of emergencies.

He had no doubt that he would be forced to use it this week.

Sapnap was sprawled on the floor, a similar bag next to him. He was falling asleep already, using Dream’s cat as warmth. Patches meowed up at Dream for help, only to curl around his friend and close her eyes as well.

Another minute ticked by. Dream’s heart pounded in his throat.

60 Minutes Before the Purge

It was nearly time.

All over the city, lights turned out, windows and doors were closed and bolted shut. Cars stopped moving down the streets, and nearly everyone was sitting in their living rooms, eyes glued to the news that played on their TV screens.

“And before we begin our annual Purge, we’d like to remind you that all emergency services - fire, police, and EMS responders - will not be available for the duration of the Purge.”

Dream slid his feet into his shoes, nudging Sapnap with his foot to wake him up. 

“Weapons of Class 3 and lower are permitted during the week-long event. Any weapons of a higher level are strictly prohibited.”

Tommy and his friends gathered around the screen, watching it with twinning expressions of mischief. In the corner of the room, an evil look glinted in Technoblade’s eyes.

He had his own plans for the week.

“Government officials have been granted immunity from the Purge, and cannot be harmed.”

Bad and Skeppy collected their weapons, and drew on black sweaters, pulling down hats to cover their heads. They were ready - or as ready as they could be.

“The Purge will last a total of seven days. At midnight of October the 21st, the Purge will end.”

George sat curled with Karl and Alex, the gravity of the situation finally settling over them. They cuddled in grim silence as they waited. Silently, Karl and Alex worried for Sapnap, knowing the danger he could be in this week.

“At the siren, the country’s 67th annual Purge will commence. Be safe, and may God be with you all.”

The sirens were loud, echoing through the silent night like something out of a nightmare. Adrenaline pumped through everyone’s veins.

The Purge had begun.

And nobody was safe.


End file.
